And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Matthew 19:16-17

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Mark 10:17-18

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

Luke 18:18-19

Just before this ruler approaches Jesus, a lesson in humility was taught to the disciples when Jesus told them that they should receive the kingdom as little children. That lesson would have been a good thing for this young man to hear!

The ruler comes to Jesus with at least two false assumptions. First of all, he thinks there is something he can do to gain eternal life. His second assumption gives the basis for the first. He thinks he is basically good, and therefore able to gain eternal life by his own works.

Jesus refutes both of these false assumptions with a single remark – There is no one good but God.

We may compare ourselves to every other person on earth and find that we are more righteous than them all, but we miss the mark completely when we are compared to Jesus Christ.

Even Job had God’s testimony that he was more righteous than any other person:

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Job 1:8

Yet, Job could not stand before God by his own power, will, or works. In Chapter 38, God comes to Job in a whirlwind and compares Job to God! Job was forced to put his hand over his mouth and make no claims or rights to be in the presence of God.

The Apostle Paul confirms the fact of man’s total inability to come to God by himself in his letter to the Church at Rome:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Romans 3:10-12

If we have the idea that we are good enough for heaven, we have far too high a view of ourselves. This young man was seeking assurance of salvation, and could not find it by his own will or works. If we seek for assurance in the same way, we will find ourselves sad and disappointed as well.